dulce de leche (i make my own, but you can find it in specialty stores or mexican groceries)

mascarpone or double cream (in the states mascarpone is more readily found)--room temp

lightly sweetened whipped cream

bananas

Thinly slice your bananas---not chunks--and overlap them in the bottom of the graham cracker crust. Next, spread a layer of the mascarpone equal to the thickness of the banana layer...do not lay it on thick, otherwise that is all you will taste. Top with a thin layer of dulce de leche, again, cover the layer, but don't put globs and globs. Place another layer of thinly sliced bananas on top of the ddl, and then top with freshly whipped cream. Sometimes, I make the whole pie without the whipped cream the day before, cover it and keep in the fridge. I then whip the cream, generously top the pie and serve.

Brown sausage in a little bit of olive oil. Keeping the heat on medium, brown the chicken pieces, and remove from pan and add to sausage. Sprinkle the chicken and sausage with the Gumbo Spice. Add oil to the fat..you will need about ¼ cup total

Add flour and stir constantly until it becomes medium brown in color. When it is brown turn off the heat and quickly add the okra, onion, celery, garlic and bell pepper. Allow the sizzling to stop. Pour in stock.

2 Tbs water or other liquid (you can use coffee or liqueur or poaching liquid)

3 Tbs corn syrup (if you are opposed to corn syrup or don't have it...omit it..it is not essential..it won't affect the taste)

Place all ingredients together in a double boiler after the water has begun to boil Don't let the mixture get too hot, it should just be warm enough to melt the chocolate and sugar. I like to turn the heat off the pot once the water begins to boil, it will have enough residual heat to do the job. Once chocolate is melted stir so the ingredients all mix nicely together and you are ready to serve. This will keep for a couple of weeks in the fridge.

In a large stockpot, fry the onion, celery, carrot, garlic and parsley in about 3 Tbs olive oil on low for about 30 minutes. Add the tomatoes, cavelo nero (or other leafy green), the beans and enough broth to cover. Simmer for an additional 50-60 minutes.

The bread and broth are used to manage thickness of the soup. I would start with 1/2 the bread and add more broth and let it sit on low heat for a bit, allowing the bread to break down. Add more bread or broth to achieve the consistency you enjoy. Season with salt and pepper. When serving, top with some parmesan cheese and a glug or two of good olive oil.

Monday, January 18, 2010

The lovely people and when I say people, I mean I was contacted by one person and got a note from another...so technically its people, at Sartori Foods sent me a package of cheese. A variety of ten to be exact.

They are wondering what I think

and I told them I would taste and play and let them know

so here I am

but first

a complete and total disclaimer

because it isn't like someone at Sartori Foods was cruising the internet and happened upon this blog and thought...I like her....let me send some cheese.

I have a connection

several actually

My MIL and her husband both retired from Sartori, my husband worked there when he was in high school, I have been at social events with the Sartori family. Okay FTC? You happy...full and total disclaimer.

that being said

Sartori Foods did not ask me to review, comment, discuss, endorse, in any shape or form, on my blog. I am doing it of my own accord

But they did give me free cheese.

and now we can get back to what this is all about.

I went to the farmer's market the other day and picked up a bunch of beets. I heart beets. I heart beets even though some stupid blood sugar or blood type diet tells me I shouldn't eat them. Who am I to turn down loads of vitamin C and the earthy delights of such a beautiful orb?

Today for lunch, I shaved a beet

...hmmm that doesn't sound right.

I made beet ribbons with a vegetable peeler and made a nice little salad using Sartori Gorgonzola for a nice creamy and briny component.

The salad was perfect for a nice light meal, and I think would be delicious perched atop a pan roasted chicken paillard, or even a thinly sliced, medium-rare, cooked over an open flame---flank steak.

Oh yum!

Or

add poached pears and some watercress to the salad making it a bit more rounded

Using a vegetable peeler, make fine ribbons from the beet. Add just a bit of vinegar and let sit while you finely slice the walnuts (the reason I do this is so they match the delicate-ness of the beet ribbons. If you prefer a nice big crunch from the walnut, leave them as is...it isn't critical to the recipe). Toss together the beets, the chives and then a bit of olive oil, just to make it glisten. Add black pepper to taste and then pile the beet onto the serving plate or platter. Top with walnuts and a generous slice of gorgonzola cheese. I do not add salt to this recipe as the gorgonzola is quite salty and carries enough brininess for the salad.

So What About The Cheese?

The gorgonzola is salty...but not offensively so. As a matter of taste, I prefer my cheese to have impact on my palate. It is also quite creamy, and I love that when I sliced a wedge for my salad it stayed intact. While it is my first instinct to not let food items stand alone...i immediately look for pairing opportunities...this gorgonzola can stand quite nicely by itself. As well, it would be scrumptious with a nice fig jam, some apple slices or a nice glass of port.

please note...you will need the lemon peels to steep for the specified time

4 cups whole milk

2 1/2 cups sugar

2 cups water

Place milk, sugar and water in a heavy saucepan. Bring to a boil and remove from heat. Repeat the boiling process 3 more times.The repeated boiling minimizes the chances of the milk curdling when adding the limoncello. Remove from the heat and let cool a bit (maybe 5 minutes). Stir in the limoncello. Pour in sterilized bottles through a sieve using a funnel. Let sit for a few days before drinking (a week is best).

This tastes best cold, and I suggest storing in the fridge or freezer.

for pastry cream: Whisk the egg yolks and the cornstarch in a bowl. set aside. In a saucepan, simmer milk, sugar and salt. Once it is simmering, temper the eggs with the hot milk. Return to the saucepan and whisk continuously until the custard begins to thicken. Once you see large bubbles coming up through the middle of the pot, remove from heat. Pour into a clean bowl (use a sieve if you feel you have overcooked), and stir in butter and vanilla. Place clingfilm over top and refrigerate until ready to use.

for the fruit: Place cherries, sugar, lime and liqueur into a small saucepot. Place over low heat and allow to simmer until a nice syrup forms and cherries are softened. Allow to cool until ready to use.

Whip cream with a bit of confectioner's sugar and vanilla to taste.

When ready to put together, take a bit of the whipped cream and whisk it into the custard to soften it up a bit, it will give it a nice creamy consistency.This is also a great filling for cream puffs.

Fill the meringue nest with the custard. Top with the fruit and then place a generous dollop of cream on top.

Make sure the beater and bowl are extremely clean and free of any oil or fats. Beat whites on low until foamy. Add salt and then kick up the speed to medium. Add cream of tartar. Begin to slowly add the sugar "raining" it into the egg whites. Continue to beat until soft peaks form, then add vanilla. Beat to stiff and firm peaks.

If you over-beat, you will see moisture starting to "weep" from the whites. If this happens, start over!

Butterfly your chicken breast and then pound until very thin. You can buy them already as scallopini, but you pay a premium. I find it much easier to slice if the breast is slightly frozen...but if that is too time consuming for you, make sure the breast is dry so it doesn't slip and slide while you have a sharp knife in your hand. Crack eggs in a shallow dish and scramble with a fork. Add a pinch of salt and a pinch of pepper and a bit of milk. Let's say 2 eggs to about a tablespoon of milk. In another shallow dish, pour in bread crumbs with grated parmesan cheese. The ratio is about 2/3 bread crumbs and 1/3 cheese. Dip the chicken breast into the egg, then into the bread crumbs. Pan fry in a large skillet using olive oil. Don't let the chicken swim in the oil, but put enough to ensure the chicken doesn't stick. You will have to add more olive oil as you go.

The best part about these cutlets is that they are delicious hot, cold or room temperature. They also freeze really well. I keep a stash in my freezer for last minute dinners. I will add tomato sauce and cheese for chicken parmesan, or a bit of lemon juice, white wine, and capers for a quick piccata.

stem and split the figs, stuff with toasted walnuts, top with a small dot of mascarpone, and then sprinkle the bits of bacon on top. These are also lovely with a bit of blue cheese in place of the mascarpone.